Umbrella-frame.



C. P. KUEHNER.

UMBRELLA FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. 191a.

crmnnns r. KUEI-INER, or raovinnncn, anonn ISLAND.

UM nnLLai ieAMn.

Specification of iettershatent. v

Application filed Marclrl, 1918? Serial No. 222,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. KUEHNER, a. citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrella-Frames, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to new anduseful improvements in the construction of unr brella frames, and has for its object to provide an umbrella joint for connecting the frame members to the staff of the umbrella, the same comprising a separate joint endpiece for each frame member, which may be formed of a non-corrosive metal, such as brass, which will not be affected by the ac tion of moisture thereon; and second, this construction while being very strong and durable is quite inexpensive to manufacture as these short members may be formed independent by automatic machinery and subsequently connected to the frame members.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as willbe more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1- is a view showing a portion of the umbrella frame spread, and one of the joints partly in section.

Fig. 2- is a top view showing the joint fingers as bent over to engage the head portion of the j oint-end members.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation showing the tubular joint member with retaining fingers folded in a circular form on the joint for each joint-end of the frame.

Fig. 4lis a top view showing the H- shaped head of the end piece by which it is guided about the circularly-bent joint-forming fingers.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the end pieces, detached.

Fig. 6 is a sectional end view showing the body of the end piece inserted into the U-shaped rib.

Fig. 7--shows the walls of the U-shaped rib as folded over the body of the end piece to secure the two together.

Fig. 8 is a detail showing the walls of the frame member folded over the body portion of the end piece securing the two together.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the staif of the umbrella on which the upper joint collar member 11 is secured by meansof the pin 12. This collar member is made in a cylindrical form having its lower edge turned outwardly and slotted as at 13, see Fig. 1, to receive the H-shaped head of the end piece, presently described, thereby 15 whichis preferably in the shape of the letter if. at its end, comprising an outer cross bar 16, an inner cross-bar 17 with a space 18 between. The body portion 19 of the bar is provided with laterally extending portions 20 whereby when this body portion is inserted into the end of the frame member 25 which is preferably formed U-shape in cross-section, the side walls 22, see Fig. 6, of this frame may be bent inward as illustrated in Fig. 7, at the points 23 and 24:, see Fig. 8, both above and below these lateral projections 20, whereby each end member is securely locked in this frame against any possibility of being drawn endwise therefrom.

In connecting up the members of the hinge joint to secure this l-l-shaped end piece to the joint sleeve 11, I pass the fingers 14 through the slot 18 in the H and bend them over back substantially against the body of the sleeve, as illustrated in Fig. 3, whereby the cross-bars 16 and 17 on each side of the fingers 14L serve to nicely guide the end of the frame as it swings up and down in opening and closing the umbrella.

Another feature in the formation of this ll-l-shaped end of the end piece, is that the inner cross-bar 17 performs a double function; first, it forms an outer guide bar for the joint; and second it serves as an abutment against which the end of the frame is set in positioning the end piece into the frame, before the walls of the latter are folded over the body thereof.

This construction above described serves as a joint not only for the joint end of the ribs 25, but also serves to form the joint ends of the spreaders 26, wherein the sleeve member 27 is formed similar to the sleeve member 11 and instead of being secured to the staff is secured to the slide member 28.

My construction is found in practice to be it atented. J an. 7, 1919.

extremely practical and efficient in its operation. By forming the ends of the frames separate and making them of brass, the operating parts never rust or corrode together, thereby greatly increasing the Wearing life of the frame; and third, by forming the small end piece separate and independent of the long length of ribs or spreader frames, Which are usually made of steel, they may be rapidly and cheaply manufactured by automatic machinery thus producing the Working parts of the umbrella frame absolutely uniform and rendering the operation of the parts perfect.

The foregoing description is directed solely toward the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege ofresorting to all the mechanical changes to Which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A connection for umbrella frames eomprising frame members U-shaped in cross section, a separate end piece for each frame member formed With a pivoting cross bar, the side walls of said members being folded over the body of said end piece to secure the two together, and a sleeve having fingers folded over said cross bar providing a hinge,

and means in said end piece for positively preventing endwise movement thereof when held in said frame member.

2. A connection for umbrella frames comprising frame members U-shaped in cross- In testimony whereof I affix my signature I in presence of one Witness.

CHARLES P. KUEHNER.

Witness HOWARD E. BARLOW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. 0." 

